Daily Republican., 1887-09-17

Pinckney were Revolutionary army
officers. A notable body Of men were
they y ho gave us our Consultation The
names OF franklin and Washtngton
we're presented tor president Of the con-
ventlou, but out OF Difference 70 Wash
Iinaton, Peppsylvania withdrew Frank
| lin and permitted Washington 10 70.
oetve 0 unanimous election.
The convention, Notwithstanding i1
high chsraoter, had trouble ut nearly
Ievery step. Governor Randolph pre-.
sented what Was known - ''Virginfs's
p,an," embrs,in fifteen resolutions
! which, with Charles Pin nckney's reso.
luuonr, formed the basis Of our present
Copstitui lion were referred to oom-
mittee.
The great trouble from the beginning
was over State sovereignty. The small
States were afraid that they would be
overshado we'd, perhaps coerced By the
larger ones. Connecticut, New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, and, strange 70
say, New York, were tbs small Slate
cham pions, while Pennsylvania, Vlr.
ginis, Massachusetts, both Car0linas
and Georgia com posed the big State
party. Had Nsw Hampshire and
Rhode Island been represented the
small State psrty would have been In .
maj jorlsy, and perhaps the plan OF our
NstionA! Government would have been
defeA.ed.
Then thers were AMY other troubles
over which those great minds differed
and sometimes wrAugied. Should rep
resentAtion be lett to the people? Sher.
man, Gerry and South Carolina we're
afraid OF this. Madison and Mason
supported T., and elections by the peo-
pie were agreed upon. How about
Senators? Oaly PennsylvsniA favored
elections by the people. Dickinson, Of
Della ware, favored elections BY the
Legislatures and won. What was to
compose the executive department
caused . division. Wilson, Of Penn
sylvsnis, argued In favor Of . single
person called President Gerry, Rut.
lidge and Pinckney supported him.
Randolph denounced this as "the foetus
OF monarchy" but Wilson carried his
point. In this Delaware WAS In the
minority with New York and Mary
land. How should the executive to
elected caused . division. Mason sAid
by the people, bu. only Pennsylvania
and Maryland agreed with him.
The committee to consider the "vir-
giniA Plan" reported, but refused to
give equal s ate representation In the
10 wer House. Tots reused the oppo-
sition OF the small States, which we're
properly called the s.a.es Rights party.
Patterson, Of New Jersey, proposed .
counter plan, and boih were referred
TO . new committee. Hamilton, who
WAS incliuei to q monarchy, favored
neither plan.
The second committee reported, bu'
with no naterial change except that
the title OF Government Of the United
States" was gu omitted for "Naiion oil
Government" This dii not reach the
ratio OF representation, and the whole
question was again fought over.
Franklin, ever IA Rlvocsts for peace,
proposed prayers in the convention. The
coventiou got id OF this by an adjourn
ment.
| Madison opposed prayers, because the
people would get the idea that things
were desperate. Bs II remembered that
| the sessions OF the convent ntion were
held with closed doors. Ga July 2, the
convention adjourned to give time for
consultation aud to celebrate the
eleventh anniversary OF the Declaration
OF Independence.
Il A committee OF conference had beer
appointed to prevent the breaking up o.
the convention. franklin went before
this com mittee, and urged representa-
ton on the basis OF one representative
for every 40 900 people. This was o,
last accepted by the large States, the
smaller States claiming q victory. Then
came up the slavery qaestlcn on the
ad mission OF new States.
How Should slaves he counted In
representation. Another rumpus fol-
!, 10 wed, and tue convention again I'D
jsurned 10 preven; o dissolution. Or
July %, Nsv H.nps1irs sent dele
gates to tue oonven lion. franklin,
proposition for representation WAS .
last agreed to.
, The next troub,a was the term
j. eligibility and mode OF choice OF tn
. Presideus. TAe whole was referred h
o 3 committee with insTucaons to repor
o 10 property qualitiiation for the Pres'
!, dent, the judiciary, aud member 0
Y Congress. Dickinson, o! Delaware
d one OF the wealshtes. men In the Con
vention, opposed this. No man {
1 merit, be thought, shodli be exclude
from the convention.
I'll The convention again adjourned fc
J. ton days, at The end o, which the con
10 mittee reported the rouah draft OF Ii
n Constitution, whtoa we have to day
u They did not report property qualii
10 cation as Instructed. Plnokney q
/. vocated property qual.f ,ation. Fran
y lin opposed Is. Tle slave portati,
,t question mads trouble. Georgia sI
!, South Carolina wers determined
10 maintain the slavs trade. The VII @
y slavery question was fought ov
70 again.
@ Morris called 1. "S nefarious ins.i.
Il tion," Sherman snd Ellsworth we're +
j. leaving the question with the iudivl,
10 ual States. Piu ckney said S,ush Oar
10 lima would never re;elye the Oonstit
N ton II II prohibited the slave trad
lie A. last the work WAS com ple.ed, b
he was objectionable to many. FrAnkl
as figured as q peacenaker. Hamilton v
g. afraid mischief might follow Q refus
n, to sign the document Randolph, M
,st son ard Gerry positively refused
for sign.
Az lost on September II, Just o
OF hundred years ago this day, the wo
ng was submitted to Cansress, and th
in. body rsoom mendsd 1t to the seyer
,ob States.
lin Tbs following Is tha vote by which
iy. vas adopted by the ten S;a.es named